Sewing-machine stay-button lock



E. M. ORLOW SEWING MACHINE STAY BUTTON LOCK March 24,1925,- y l 1,531,019

Filed DeC. 23, 1922 Patented Mar. 24, 192C'.

uurrn sra'ra ERNEST M. on-Low, `or wnuwn'roea,

n. rn'rnasoiv, or iuriiwanirnn. SCHMITT, or CHICAGO, learners.

Lenore wrsoonsrn, .assreivort onorari-THIRD fro y.man wrseonsrn. nun oran-THIRD ro .nari-rua J.

SElING-MiGHINE STAY-BUTTON LOCK.

Application filed December 23, 1922. Serial No. 608,659.

To all 't0/10mimei/fconcern:

`Be it known that l, Ennnsfr h'l. UnLow, a citizen off the lhiited States. and resident ot lillauwatosa, in the county of lllilwaukee and State of llisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing- Machine Stay-Button Locks; and l do hereby declare that the 'following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Heretofore, in sewing on buttons on overcoats and similar objects by machine, a retainer has `been employed 'for holding the large buttons in proper positionandtlie stay button has been held immediately below the large button. The parts which held the buttons are operatively connected with a sewing machine. ln thus sewing on buttons difliculty 'has been experienced by reason of the :fact that the stay button has been gripped merely rictionally, so that there isnothing positively preventing rotation thereof. Thus the stay button is oftentimes moved into position where the holes therein are disaligned from the holes in the `larger button, with the result that the needlecannot be directed thru the openings in both buttons. This slows up the operation, breaks needles and has other disadvantages.

Applicants device comprises means for positively locking the stay button against rotation. The invention comprises diverse modifications, in all of which a positive grip is provided, adapted to effeetually hohl the button and retain it in proper position, the

operation of the grip being not a mere 'frief tional engagement, but a positive button lock. The device is furthermore adapted to align the stay button and to retain it with the holes therein disposed immediately below the holesin the ylarger button.

Applicant illustrates and describes diverse modifications of his invention, but does not limit himselt to details of constructionk or operating, and desires to embrace within the scope of the patented claim a substantial ar rangement of equivalents.

Figure 1 is a plan of the invention, the large button being held over the novelly equipped parts and the :foot plate.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1, the foot vplate and parts thereon being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a plan Qf the vfoot plate and vnovel `lock mechanism with cover plate re- Figure 8 is a plan of a .still further modi-4 fication of butt-on and gripping-jaws.

Pivoted to bar 10v at points 11-11 are a pair of arms 12h-12', terminating in grips 13-13' between whichthe button 14 is positioned, the button lying over the bifurcations 15-15 of spring 16, secured at one' end to bar 10. A. stop 17 is downwardly directed between arms. 12-12',` being rigid with a slide 18. It has been' the practice heretofore to us these parts for holding button 14; in position, when it is being sewed to the article. Below bar 10 is a rod 19,'to which a foot plate 20 is secured. On opposite sides of the upper Yface of the toot plate are spacers 21 which are secured thereto, the spacers having openl ings 22-22' for the reception of screws 23, `for seeurinp` cover plate 23' in position, the plate extending from one spacer to the other. Fivoted at pointsr 241*21' are a pair of jaws `25-25. The jaw 25 has a linger 26 thereon and jaw 25, has a similar finger 26', the fingers beingadapted to cooperate with a spring 27. The spring is arcuate in shape land bent at its end to engage with the fingers. The tendency of the spring is to cause jaws 25-25' to approach. Between the aws an adjuster 28, 1s positioned, having a slot 29, therein, receiving a tongue 30, depending from cover'plate 23'. Cover plate 23 is slotted to receive a screw 31, directed into an opening in the adjuster 28. The adjuster may be Xed in various positions in the slot. The adjuster has inclined faces 553-33', adapted to contact with adjacent portions of the jaws 25-25', between which the stay button 34 is positioned. Obviously, the adjuster is operative to limit the movement of the jaws towards each other and to prevent s dewyise movement Qi the button, as .Side

wise movement in one direction of each jaw is directly prevented. By moving the adjuster nearer the stay button 34, the jaws are caused to divergefrom each other and separate a greater distance. The jaws -25 do not have a mere frictional grip on stay button 34. The stay button is provided with spaced notches 35, and jaw 25 is provided with a tooth 36, adapted to enter one of the notches 35. .I aw 25 is provided with ay similar tooth 36 adapted to enter an opposite notch in the stay button. The spring` 27 operates to retain the teeth effectually in the notches. The button and jaws cooperate therefore to effectually prevent rotation of the button. As the jaws diverge Yfrom each other beyond the teeth 556-36 to the ends of the jaws, it is apparentthat a button may readily be positioned between the If desired, the button may be positioned by moving it downwardly from between the jaws or sliding it between the jaws on toot plate 20. In either case, the teeth and jaws cooperate with the button to so position it that the holes 37 therein are in alignment with the holes 38 in button 14. The operation of the mechanism does not release the grip of the jaws as it does not merely frictionally retain the stay button, but effectually locks vit is position, and apertures 37 cannot be disaligned from apertures 38. The rotary movement of the button is prevented by the teeth 36 which would have to be removed from notches to permit the position of the button to be changed. Bar 10 and rod 19 are operatively connected with sewing machine parts and are shifted thereby and operated in a manner well known in the art, so that after the thread has been directed thru openings in button 14 and stay button 34, the buttons may be shifted to direct the thread thru other openings 'in these buttons.

In Figures 4 and 5, a modified form ot button 40 is shown, having a V shaped rib 41 thereon. Foot plate 42 is adapted'to receive'the rib, having a depression 43 `therefor. Jaws 44-44 lgrip the sides of the button and prevent movement of the button laterally. Rib 41 cooperates with the foot plate 42 to prevent rotation of the button and to lock it with its holes aligned with the holes in the upper button not shown.

In the modification shown in Figure 6, button 45 is provided with a groove receivposition it over the fingers and the grooved i surfaces of the iingers fit [against the eXtreme limits oi the holes. Asin the other modification, the button rests upon :toot plate In the modifications shown in Figure 8, the button 53 has rounded holes 54 therein. The button is'substantially rectangular, but rounded at the corners. Between the rounded corners, the sides of the button are substantially straight. A pair of aws 554-55 are provided for retaining the button, which -may be slid in position ybetween the ends Sti-56. Jaw 55 is provided with a pair of spaced teeth 57 and 58, each adapted to fit against .the rounded corners of button 53. J aw 55 is provided with teeth 57 and A58 adapted to contact with the other rounded corners of the button. Thus opposite sides of the button fit snugly in the recesses in each of thejaws, the recess being between theteeth.

Ineach of the modifications, the stay button `may be readily positioned so as to dispose its holes in alignment with the holes of the larger button means being provided to effectually lock the stay button against rotation.

I claim: A device of the class described, the combination otmeans for -holding a stay button in position below a second button, with its holes aligned with the holes in said second button, and means for engaging said stay button, and means having interengagmg means for locking said stay rbutton against rotation, whereby thread may be directed thru alignedopenings'in vsaid buttons for securing' said buttons to an article.r

vIn testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set myk hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

ERNEST M. oRLow. 

